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Josh Beaumont made a successful return from injury as Sale Sharks edged out Lyon with a 15-13 triumph at AJ Bell Stadium to keep their European Challenge Cup hopes alive.

The win has taken Sharks to the second position in Pool 2 with 11 points with Lyon positioned third with 10 points.

After the first quarter went without a point, lock Andrei Ostrikov scored the opening try for Sale Sharks but the conversion went begging. Lyon's response came five minutes later when fly-half kicked a penalty as the visitors ended the first half with a trail of two points.

Beauxis started the second half with a penalty kick as the visitors claimed a one point lead but Beaumont, who was making his first comeback from a torn bicep that he sustained in October crossed over in the 50th minute with Will Cliff kicking a conversion and a penalty on either side to put the home side nine point clear.

As the final 10 minutes was nearing, hooker Virgile Lacombe scored the first try for Lyon in the 71st minute while a conversion from replacement Frederic Michalak brought down the gap to two points which the Sale Sharks managed to hold despite losing Denny Solomona to sin-bin in the 76th minute.